Right now at the Legislature, we are still busy hearing numerous bills in committee meetings before they come for votes on the House floor.
This past week, I was able to pass my House Bill 3461 out of the House Energy Committee with a vote of 19-0.
This bill was a request from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, and will allow them to develop rules to manage some of the septic systems in rural Oklahoma. I have worked with DEQ for the past eight years on this matter.
Under this legislation, the department will be able to promulgate rules for reducing the minimum trench length of new conventional subsurface absorption fields for septic systems and will grant the agency the exclusive jurisdiction for regulating solid pipe fittings used in the conveyance of wastewater from the stub-out of a house or business to a septic system.
Of course, our priority is that this work be done without jeopardy to public health. The rules also are to take into account all relevant studies performed in 2018 and 2019 by accredited academic institutions within the state as well as a review of corresponding statutes or rules from adjacent states and any available instruction data. This measure would require the department to adopt emergency rules to implement the provisions of this section no later than October of this year.
Another bill that passed committee recently is House Bill 3823 by House Speaker Charles McCall. This would allow doctors who agree to practice in rural communities with 25,000 people or less and that are at least 25 miles from the nearest municipality to claim a $25,000 annual tax credit. Rural residents value their way off life, but they also need access to good medical care. This bill will help us recruit good doctors to our rural areas and give them an added incentive to stay.
A bill to add dyslexia screening for any public school student in Kindergarten through third grade who is not reading on grade level starting in the 2022-23 school year passed in the Common Education Committee this week. Research shows that children who are properly diagnosed early and get the proper tools can quickly catch up to read on grade level with their peers.
Also, this past week, we held FFA Day at the Capitol. I met with officers from groups from Sayre, Elk City, Cordell and Burns Flat-Dill City and got to recognize these groups from the House floor. FFA is such a phenomenal organization that does so much to prepare our young people not only for future careers and leadership roles in agriculture but in life in general. It is always an honor to meet these outstanding future leaders.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you at the Capitol. God bless you and God bless Oklahoma! If I can every help you in any way, please contact me at Todd.Russ@okhouse.gov or (405) 557-7312.
Rep. Todd Russ represents District 55 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.